Under-21 Women open Nordic Cup 4-0 over Switzerland.

Aly Wagner

NURNBURG, Germany (Friday, July 28, 2000) -- The U.S. opened Nordic Cup play with balanced scoring leading to a 4-0
victory over the full Swiss national team, the only overage team participating in the tournament. Midfielders
Aly Wagner and
Veronica Zepeda each recorded a goal and assist.

The match was delayed by an hour after the U.S. team bus got stuck in a rain-related traffic jam, forcing an
abbreviated warm-up in the chilly conditions. Due to the late start, the match had to be moved at halftime to a field
with lights.

Aly Wagner made the first tally 25 minutes into the match after receiving a pass from
Susan Bush inside the penalty box. She sidestepped a defender and cracked
her shot into the lower right corner from five yards away.

Three minutes later, Wagner became the playmaker weaving her way through the Swiss defense before passing to
Aleisha Cramer inside the penalty box. From five yards out, Cramer slotted
her shot low into the right corner.

Veronica Zepeda

The Americans scored their third goal just eight minutes before halftime as midfielder
Jena Kluegel worked her way free on the right flank and crossed to the
far post. On a ball from Veronica Zepeda, who entered the game just minutes before for Wagner, the U.S. midfielder struck
it home from close range.

U.S. Captain and defender Michelle French stated "There were some
nerves at the beginning of the game, but we still had the edge in possession. Once we settled down and started to move
the ball quicker, we started to dominate, the chances started coming and that's when we scored our goals."

Forward Mary-Frances Monroe sealed the match in the 53rd minute after
Zepeda played a quick free-kick to her about 40 yards from the goal, catching the Swiss defense flat-footed. Monroe
dribbled through several defenders before cracking a shot from 23 yards out into the bottom right corner.

2000 Nordic Cup

Team

GF

GA

W

L

T

Pts

United States

4

0

1

0

0

3

Finland

1

0

1

0

0

3

Sweden

0

1

0

1

0

0

Switzerland

0

4

0

1

0

0

Group B standings through July 28

Other games
Finland 1
Sweden 0

"We scored four great goals that were complete team efforts. We got five substitutes into the game and everyone
contributed. It was a great way to start," said Head Coach Jillian Ellis.
"The players responded very well to the adverse conditions, Aleisha Cramer did a great job of controlling the midfield
defensively. She won balls and was excellent at spraying passes around in the second half. Her change of the point of
attack was awesome. Mary-Frances Monroe also had an excellent game playing behind the forwards, she was our engine, and
Michelle French and Jena Kluegel were fantastic on the flanks."

The U.S. next faces Sweden in its second Group B match on Sunday night in Hof, Germany.